David Galloway

If you want to terraform a large patch of rocky dirt into black loamy soil you'll need lots of compost. You can buy it from garden supply centers for several dollars per sack or take advantage of free resources to build up your compost on the cheap.

Urban renewal organization The Urban Farming Guys need a lot of compost to turn abandoned city housing lots into cultivated gardens. They gather biomass to make compost by collecting bags of leaves left out by homeowners for the city to pick up, horse manure from local stables, and coffee grounds from cafes. As long you maintain the proper mix of carbon to nitrogen, keep your compost pile moist (aim for the dampness of a wrung-out sponge), and turn it over every few weeks with a shovel you'll have black gold in around three months. Now's a great time to get your compost pile together as you can find tons of free leaves and your fresh compost will be ready for your spring planting.

Compost works as both a mulch and as a basic fertilizer and helps build soil quickly. If you want to develop your green thumb you should definitely explore the benefits of compost for your garden.